Citizens are gathering through Washington to discuss growth management issues.	Citizens from Sultan give their ideas on the development of an industrial area.

There is a fundamental belief in the United States that people have a right to take part in decisions that affect them. Washington State growth management decisions are no exception. Citizens need to be informed about land development plans and projects, and prepared with the facts they need to fully participate.

 

The 1990 Growth Management Act (GMA) requires “early and continual citizen participation” in the development and updates of local comprehensive plans. In addition, one specific goal of GMA is to “Encourage the involvement of citizens in the planning process.”

 

The language isn’t thrown into the law as lip service. Citizen participation in local government and land use decisions must involve the people – whether testifying at a public hearing, serving on a planning board or taking part in an opinion survey on the phone or Internet. There is also concrete evidence and nearly 20 years of courtroom and growth management hearing board decisions to back up that core right. Go wrong with public participation, and even the best

plan will be suspect.

 

Reduce public mistrust in government

Engage citizens in the ownership of local growth management challenges and solutions

Educate and empower citizens

Encourage good planning and citizen support

Remove hearings board challenges to public participation rules.